


Undertow

by AutumnDiesIrae, soldmysoul



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Bermuda Triangle, Curses, Demons, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, I'm proud of this, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, Shapeshifting, Smut, World Travel, merfolk, sorta - Freeform, water demon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-04-18 12:12:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14212896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnDiesIrae/pseuds/AutumnDiesIrae, https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldmysoul/pseuds/soldmysoul
Summary: The Bermuda Triangle is the way it is because of Sal, a merman cursed into exile because of his past. But will he be imprisoned and doomed to wreak havoc forever? It's up to Azalea to find out!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! These characters are near and dear to me - they're my most fleshed out OCs and I love them to bits. So I thought I'd put together a story telling how they came to be! Sal's infodump can be found [HERE](http://soldmysoultofandoms.tumblr.com/post/172582300661/whos-ready-for-another-oc-info-dump-d-this) , and Azalea's can be found [HERE](http://soldmysoultofandoms.tumblr.com/post/172208995431/soldmysoultofandoms-time-for-an-oc-infodump) .

He’s lost count of the lives he’s claimed over the millenia. Parents never to see their children again, lovers doomed to the cerulean depths, traders and explorers lost before they could make port. They’ve all blurred together with time, until all he knows is an existence steeped in destruction. He remembers his name, though - Sal. The salt water that permeates his being reminds him lest he forget even that in his solitary exile. Even the reason for his punishment has been lost to him as the passage of time toils onward. 

Over the years, mankind had begun to question the dangers of this corner of the ocean. They’d dubbed it “The Bermuda Triangle”. He still finds it comical, to hear tell of their various convoluted reasonings for the sporadic disappearances at sea. Thermal vents, magnetic hot spots, and all manner of conspiracies fill the blanks left by “science”. Aliens - he supposes that might be closest to the truth, although he has been here since before mankind first painted on cave walls. Far longer than he can recall. 

And so he has grown weary of his existence. Surely, whatever his crimes had been, these centuries upon countless centuries of punishment have been enough to atone? Who was it even that had sentenced him? Leviathan, that envious Prince of Hell - just the thought of him causes Sal’s oceans to churn with maelstroms and deadly waves. Perhaps it was him who had cursed Sal to this reality. But why?

The answer to that question would no more save Sal than it would save the crew on the ship currently being torn apart by a hurricane of his own making. His monstrous form watches their bodies sink to the sea floor along with the wreckage of their vessel, never to be found.

~~~~~

Every now and then, when the seemingly instinctive havoc he wreaks is too great for his weary soul, Sal will chance a trip ashore to one of the small islands in the Triangle. His merman form - sleek, strong, and intimidating - gives way, and  that glimmering and powerful tail shifts into a pair of thick human legs. He never stays that way for too long, only venturing onto one of the nearby islands long enough to catch up on this century’s gossip. The pulling call of the ocean proves to be overwhelming for longer periods of time. The only difference between him and a normal man walking through the open air markets are his eyes - black, like a shark, but with irises like a pale blue ring in the inky darkness. Every few generations, the islanders will breathe new life into the old legends of the ageless being who walks among them from time to time. “I saw him today! Grandmother was right!” “Nonsense, it was hot today, you were just seeing things.” And so the tales of the dark-eyed stranger are passed down and kept alive. 

For centuries, he continues this trend. Existing beneath the waves for years as he loses track of time, surfacing to walk amongst mortals, and then disappearing once more to bring death to the tropical waters with his cruel inhuman form. Even when he tries his hardest to resist his return to the sea, his cursed punishment always draws him back, practically dragging his body back to his prison as he stares longingly at the alluring vitality of land. And so he disappears into isolation once more, destruction lying in his wake. 

Until the day he sees her. 

It’s during one of his too rare ventures onto land. As usual, he lurks just off shore past the dropoff, watching and waiting for the opportunity to change his form. The rumors and legends are already too much attention for his liking - the last thing he wants is a tourist on the beach to notice his transformation and bring a crowd to gawk and stare. Instead he bides his time, watching until the early morning fishermen and the sparse beachgoers turn away from the surf. He only needs a few moments, his human legs swirling into shape in the shallows before anyone can see the change. His shoulders rise above the gentle tide, salt water dripping from his cinnamon colored skin, the tight waves of his black hair cascading over his broad shoulders. And yet his eyes are ever the same - deep, dark, with a ring of blue around the pupil. Over the years and with much trial and error, he’s found that this form not only blends in the best with the locals, but he feels most comfortable in it as well. Muscles ripple beneath his skin as he takes a few steps forward in the shallows, his stout belly pushing his way through the crystal blue water to the beach. If anyone had glanced his way now, they’d see nothing more than what appears to be a spear fisherman, perhaps on his day off, given his lack of gear. 

As he steps from the water onto the tightly compact sand on the beach, he looks around carefully, noting a few people in the distance splashing along the water’s edge, dressed in colorful swimwear. He realizes with a start that he’s wearing nothing. A quick glance around his immediate area reveals a few towels and other beach items piled together just a few yards away. They must belong to the tourists who laugh and play in the distant surf. Surely they won’t miss one if he were to take it. He picks up a light piece of blue cloth with tassels along the edge and shakes it free of the clinging sand before wrapping it around his midsection. Much better. He really should stash some clothing in a safe place one of these days, but that’s a worry for another time. 

He makes his way up the beach path towards the sounds of the market. Still so traditional even after all this time. He remembers when the first tribe had made a home here, all those centuries ago, and he had watched this people grow and evolve with time while still remaining true to their roots. To him, a being who cannot remember his own past except in bits and pieces, the sense of history found here is something comfortable, something familiar. He reflects on this as he passes stalls of tropical fruits, exotic foods, colorful wares. He never keeps his gaze in one place for too long, trying to avoid the looks that tie his mysterious looking eyes to those of the legends. When one vendor is distracted by another customer, he slyly takes a small bunch of ripe bananas from the man’s stand, continuing his path to one of the benches that can be found along the street. 

He sits and watches the passersby, carrying their purchases home or stopping to browse a stall’s offerings before moving on to the next seller. He wraps his thick fingers around a banana, tearing it from the bunch and opening it in a practiced motion. His sharp teeth sink into the pale yellow fruit, savoring the taste. Of course, he doesn’t really  _ have _ to eat, but he has a soft spot for fresh fruit. He can never resist them when he comes ashore. His dark eyes scan the crowds, ears attentive for any news of the outside world. It’s the same as he usually hears. Somebody has died. Somebody has married. Somebody was born. Somebody has moved to the mainland in search of fortune. All typical happenings for an island community such as this. Except… what did that woman just say?

“You stay away from her, child. She’s got an evil about her.” A mother clutches her daughter’s arm tightly, dragging her down the street.

“But look at her hair, mama! It looks like the sea!” The child trails after her mother reluctantly until the crowd closes in around them and Sal loses sight of the two.

He sits up a little straighter, banana halfway in his open mouth for another bite as he watches the mass of people walking past him with a bit more interest. Hair like the sea? What does that even mean? Sal doesn’t have to wonder for very long before he sees her.

When her eyes meet his, the rest of the world fades away. 

She approaches him in what seems like slow motion, her short teal hair coiffed and bouncing lightly with each movement. Her steely grey eyes remind him of a hurricane, ready to sweep him away. Full, painted lips turn upwards in a smile as she nears him, and they part to say something he doesn’t quite catch as he watches her figure sway with every step. She finally stops in front of him, an expectant look on her face, one eyebrow raised.

“Wh-” he starts, but his voice is so hoarse from the time it’s been unused. When was the last time he said anything aloud? He clears his throat to try again, remembering to take the banana out of his mouth and swallowing the half-chewed bite so he doesn’t look like such a fool. “What?” He can feel his face heating up, not just from the late morning sun. 

She smiles and his blush spreads further. “I said ‘How’s that banana?’ Looks delicious.” Her voice is lovely, clear as a bell. She sits on the bench beside him, leaning towards him and watching him through lowered lashes. 

His skin prickles, uncomfortable with the closeness after so long in solitude. He could blame his speechlessness on the fact that he simply hasn’t spoken in more than a few decades, but this is something more. The twisting in his gut feels somehow familiar, like he experienced it in another lifetime. 

Suddenly she reaches across him, her skin somehow hotter and yet colder than it should be as it brushes across his chest. She grabs a banana from the bunch sitting next to him, peeling it slowly while humming something he can’t quite catch. The mysterious woman maintains eye contact with Sal as she brings the fruit to her mouth, wrapping her lips around it seductively, taking her time to torment him a bit before she bites off a hunk of the soft fruit. Sal feels a stir of arousal at the display.  _ Hell, she’s gorgeous _ , he thinks distractedly. He can’t recall the last time he felt this way. He continues watching her as she chews thoughtfully, and a contented little moan rises from her, making him blush deeper. 

“Damn, that’s good,” she smiles after swallowing, licking her lips suggestively. “Nice tattoo,” she nods to his chest. Sal looks down to his left pec to see the small image of a ship broken in half by an anchor. It’s been part of him for as far back as his memory goes, a reminder of the destruction he’s cursed to sow. He hates it. 

“Thanks,” he mumbles. She watches him as he turns his attention back to the crowd passing by, his gaze darting to her from the corner of his eye. He tries to act like her presence doesn’t bother him before he finally caves. “Do I know you?” This woman makes him uncomfortable in the strangest ways. And even if part of him may like that, the rest of him does not. 

“I dunno, would you like to?” She bats her eyelashes and raises an eyebrow, scooting a few inches closer and wrapping her arms around his bicep. “I’m Azalea. And you must be Sal. Leviathan sent me.” She grins wider and he now sees that her teeth are sharper than a normal person’s, glinting white in the sun. 

Whatever he’d felt for the woman suddenly disappears as he stands abruptly, wrenching his arm from her grasp. His temper starts to get the better of him, storm clouds gathering over the small island as if from nowhere. “You’re one of his demon lackeys, aren’t you?” he fumes.

Azalea glances at the sky, then back to him, raising an eyebrow. “Calm down, Sal, I’m not gonna do anything to you.” She winks and he seems to realize his anger has taken control once again. He takes a few deep breaths, the dark skies clearing as quickly as they’d appeared amidst the concerned chatter of the locals. The teal-haired woman stands and faces him. “I’m just here to check up on you. You seem to be doing well.” She eyes him up and down, almost hungrily. 

Without waiting for her next comment, Sal turns and walks through the crowd towards the beach. He can hear Azalea follow him, her pleas of protest rising slightly above the din of the crowd, but he doesn’t care. He wants nothing to do with anyone who has anything to do with Levi. By the time he feels the sand between his toes again, she’s caught up with him, though. 

“Hey! What’s the problem?” She tries to grab his arm and he pulls it from her. 

“Leave. Now.” Sal doesn’t even look at her as he walks into the surf, no longer concerned if anyone sees his transformation. Azalea follows until she’s up to her knees in the tide, but an unusually strong little wave pushes her back to shore. Clouds gather once more as Sal strides into the deeper water, finally disappearing beneath the surface. The wrap he’d had tied around his waist floats on the current towards the beach, the wet fabric tangling around Azalea’s ankles as she watches the impending storm gathering in the distance off the coast. 

~~~~~

The sea churns with Sal’s anger. And yet, he doesn’t fully know why the thought of Levi enrages him so. Or why that woman, Azalea, made him react the way he had. He quietly transitions from his sea-like form to his merman one. He tends to do his best thinking in this body, although again, he’s not sure why that is. He thinks back to his first look at Azalea. He hadn’t immediately trusted her - no, of course not. But he had felt so strongly drawn to her in a way he couldn’t resist. She had said she was just here to check on him. Perhaps to check on his punishment. If that were the case, surely she’d be gone by now. She saw him, and that was enough, was it not? 

Oh, but how he wishes she hadn’t mentioned Levi. They might have spent a bit more time together, she and Sal. He can’t recall the last time he’d come into contact with someone like him, someone so otherworldly and... not strictly human. The way she’d stared at him with such interest - that was more than just a look to “check up” on him. Almost without realizing, his strong tail had directed him towards the island while he contemplated. He chastises himself for such mindless behavior and is about to turn back to the open sea when a shock of turquoise against the light sand of the beach catches his eye. He rises just enough so that the top of his head is above the waves, just enough to see clearly. 

Azalea is sprawled on a colorful towel not far from the edge of the water, dark sunglasses blocking the sun from her eyes as the hot rays beat down onto her exposed skin. The skimpy purple bikini she wears leaves little to the imagination, her curves hugged by the uneven sand beneath the towel. Her skin is pale, but she doesn’t seem to be suffering the harsher effects of the sun like most normal people would. 

Sal thinks back to the touch of her skin against his earlier, the cold heat that had radiated off of her. Between that, and her connection with Leviathan…  _ She must be a water demon _ , he realizes finally. In almost the same moment, he also recognizes that a part of him is glad to see that Azalea has remained on the island, at least for the time being. 

She stirs slightly, repositioning herself on the towel. Her head falls to the side, towards where Sal lurks off the shore, and her ample chest rises and falls with each breath. Sal watches, transfixed by her, the waves lapping at his ears. That strange yet familiar sensation he’d felt earlier when she was near is rekindled again in his abdomen, and he slowly sinks beneath the surface.

He floats down amongst the sparse kelp to the sandy sea floor, lying on his back and staring at the distorted sun through the waves that gently rock him back and forth.  _ She really is beautiful _ , he supposes. Through all the years, he’d never once been attracted to any of the humans on the island. And now, this mystery woman - a  _ gorgeous _ mystery woman, at that - just walks into the market and steals his attention like he’d stolen those bananas. 

Just the memory of watching her so obscenely eat that banana she’d taken from him… it does things to him. Just below where his human-like skin fades to the iridescent scales of his tail, the small opening that hides his twin members begins to grow sensitive. Sal hesitates just a moment before reaching one hand down to carefully stroke the opening. Hell, it’s been so long since he last touched himself like this. Usually it’s too overwhelming in this physical state, but now… now he just wants to imagine that it’s Azalea’s slender hands that wander over his form. The pressure he begins to feel below his waist is borderline uncomfortable, and as he looks down at himself and drags his finger from the base of the slit to the top, his cocks seem to appear as if from nowhere. Thicker at the base and tapered at the tips, hard, and slick from natural secretions. The arrow-like head is swollen, the ridges flushed with arousal. Immediately the discomfort is relieved, and he takes both lengths in one big hand. Even just wrapping his fingers around them is almost too much, and he loosens his grip a bit. The fingers of his other hand dig into the sandbank below him, trying to ground himself amidst the sensations threatening to overwhelm him. 

He pictures her stroking him gently, those lovely lips pressed to his neck as she unravels him bit by bit. His own digits slowly and steadily tease up and down the shafts, the ridges rubbing against his palm. The friction is so utterly perfect, just on the verge of too much. A small moan escapes him, not easily heard underwater. He closes his eyes and worries his lip with sharp teeth, nearly drawing blood as he tries to enjoy it all just a bit longer. He wonders if she’d be able to take both his cocks in her beautiful mouth at once, those dark eyes staring up at him as she takes him deeper and deeper… 

And suddenly it’s all too much. He stiffens, tightening the grip on his members, tail twitching and flicking as a white cloud dissipates into the water in front of him. Sal realizes the waves above him are choppier now, as he comes down from his high. He really should control his emotions a bit better. But for now, as the water calms, he basks in this feeling of euphoria before it fades completely, his cocks returning to their hidden spot once more. After a few moments he swims back up to the surface, peeking about the waves once more for a glance at Azalea. When he spots her again, she sits up and stretches, almost like she’s putting herself on display. And then his heart stops. Because then, she looks directly at him, lowering her sunglasses to wink at him and grin cheekily, almost like she knows what he’s done.

Sal retreats under the surf, swimming back to the open ocean like he can outrun the shame. Azalea settles back on her towel, chuckling to herself. She’ll hook him one way or another. Until then, she’ll bide her time.  

~~~~~

Sal isn’t sure how long it’s been since his trip to the market. Time never was his strong suit. He wanders the reefs, small schools of colorful fish scattering as his shadow approaches. He’s lost in thought, not even bothering to sink the small fishing boat that strays too far into his territory. Why is he still thinking about her? She’s nothing to him. Just a spec on the timeline of his exile. And yet… why can’t he get Azalea off his mind?

She watches him as he swims, his striped and powerful tail propelling him through the water with ease. Hidden behind a massive coral fan, her blue-green tentacles anchoring her to the rocks below, Azalea can’t help herself. She’s so inexplicably drawn to him. Screw Levi and his orders. She never liked him anyway. But Sal… Sal is someone she could really get with, could really like, if he gave her the chance. Her eyes follow his movements until he disappears behind another outcropping, and she swims around the far side to her next hiding spot. Before she can make it even close to her destination, Sal rounds the corner and the two collide in a flurry. She backs up instinctively, and he freezes. 

He blushes deeply, her presence interrupting a train of thought that he’d rather she didn’t know about. In an instant his blush disappears as his embarrassment turns turns to outrage. “What are you doing here?!” He eyes her up and down, taking in her new form. Well, he supposes that as a water demon she does have the ability to shapeshift. “Have you been following me?” Sal swims towards her now, but this time she doesn’t back down. 

“Maybe,” she smirks, her teeth glinting. Her tentacles spread around her, making her looks so much larger than she really is. Their faces are less than a foot apart. “You been thinking about me?” His dark cheeks redden instantly, his fists clenching and relaxing. 

“No.”

“Liar,” she grins now, her razor teeth showing clearly. She leans closer, tendrils just barely brushing against his tail fin. She’s fully aware of the effect she has on him, and if she’s honest with herself it excites her a little. “So… whatcha up to?” She watches his reaction through her lashes, almost predatorily. He backs away just a bit, his tied up hair swaying slightly in the current. 

“Why do you care?” Sal fires back, trying his best to appear unaffected by her presence. But even simply seeing her again stokes the fires of his imagination. He’s been alone for so long… it’s hard to push the possibilities out of his mind. 

Azalea shrugs nonchalantly, turning away as if to inspect one of the colorful pieces of coral. “Just trying to have a conversation, Sal, that’s all.” She smirks and watches him from the corner of her eye. 

When was the last time he’d even had a normal chat with someone, anyway? He adds that to the growing list of things that fail his memory. But he’d be lying if he said this interaction isn’t something he wants. “Azalea,” he starts, but she cuts him off. 

“Call me Zay,” she says casually, turning to face him again. “I told you I wouldn’t do anything to you, remember? I might be a demon but I’m not the lying type.” She smiles sweetly this time, and he can’t help but believe her. “I didn’t think it would be like this, y’know…” Now it’s her who’s shy, suddenly averting her gaze. “I was just supposed to come check up on you. Just get in, get out. But…” she looks at him now, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. “I just couldn’t resist.” She grins sheepishly, and Sal finds himself utterly confused.

“What?”

She chuckles.“Hell, you have no idea, do you...” She actually laughs now, but reigns it in before she angers him. “You’re a celebrity! I’ve heard about you since I was little. Everyone knows your name!” Sal is dumbstruck by that. 

“Um… why?” he asks incredulously. 

“Because of what you did to Levi! Well, and sorta what he did to you. You’re legendary. Or maybe infamous is a better word.” Her smile falters and her excitement fades. “You… you don’t remember, do you?” 

Sal tries his hardest to control himself at the mention of Levi. The waves roll above them, but there’s no storm, at least for now. “All I know is that this… existence is punishment. And I know that I hate him. But… no, I don’t remember.” This may be his only chance of ever having answers. He takes a deep breath. “Tell me what you know.”

“Are you sure?” She nears him hesitantly. “Sometimes ignorance is bliss.”   
  
He looks directly at her, his dark eyes seeming to search her soul. “Tell me everything.”

~~~~~

It’s a well known fact that Leviathan is quick to anger. Every resident of Heaven and Hell knows that anyone who crosses him doesn’t live to tell the tale. Usually, anyway. Sal was the exception. Because the Prince had a punishment worse than death reserved for the merman who’d betrayed him. Only his brothers know the real truth. But word has a way of getting around. Rumors abound as to why the fallen angel was cast out of Heaven in the first place. But none of them are ever uttered anywhere near Levi - the first (and last) time that had happened was still burned into the citizens’ minds, the screams of the one who’d been made into an example etched forever in memory. But still, people talk. They learn to be discreet. 

Some hushed whispers claim that Levi had simply gone off and snapped one day, that his banishment had been a long time coming and that the massacre of most of the merfolk population had been the last straw. Others thought perhaps he’d left Heaven willingly, to form his own kingdom with his own laws. But Levi’s brothers know what really happened, even if Sal can’t remember. 

Sal and Levi were lovers. And who knows, perhaps there actually was love between them at one point in time. But if Levi is anything, he is possessive. And Sal, free-spirited as merfolk are, could not be tamed by even the Prince of Hell. Levi knew this, and yet he could not help but want to keep Sal for himself and only himself. But neither of them could keep that up forever. 

One day Levi discovered Sal with another. A beautiful mermaid, one of the loveliest ever to be seen. His rage was overwhelming. Her death was quick. But Sal… Levi’s beloved… the one who had betrayed the rarest of trust that the Prince could offer… for him, there were other plans. 

Of course, there was no public trial. The rest of Creation had no business knowing of Leviathan’s personal matters. Of course, Sal pleaded with his Prince, his lover, for forgiveness. That this was a mistake, that it would never happen again. And of course, his pleas fell on deaf ears. The damage was done. There was no chance for mercy. 

Sal’s entire pod, and many others, were massacred. Levi made him witness it all - the wails of his people, how their blood turned the sea red, his friends and family crying out for salvation that would never be theirs. It was all because of what Sal had done, and Levi made sure he knew it. To this day, Levi still despises merfolk for what one of their kind did to him. 

Levi used his powers to transform Sal into a hateful creature, a sea-dwelling monster so filled with hate and rage that he couldn’t help but lash out and destroy. And yet, as filled as he was with these emotions, it was only a fraction of what Levi had felt at his betrayal. He exiled Sal to an empty corner of the ocean, surrounded by a still evolving world, to dole out death to any who crossed his path, for all eternity. 

If Leviathan must be alone, then so must Sal.

~~~~~

At some point during Azalea’s tale, Sal had sunk to the sandy floor of the shallows. Snippets of memories had accompanied her story, bits and pieces of larger recollections lost to time. Rolling seas of blood, screams of agony calling out his name, the overpowering feeling of guilt making him sick to his stomach. Has so much time truly passed that he can remember so little of these events? It sounds far fetched but then… why does it seem somehow familiar?

The demon is perched on a rock near Sal, her dark tentacles twisting together anxiously as she watches his reaction to all that she’s said. How could she have foreseen that he had no inkling of his past, no memory of why Levi had punished him so severely?

The weather above them had changed from a clear sunny day to a dark drizzle of rain, steady and resolute. He shuts his eyes, part of him trying to remember while part of him does everything to forget. His tears are invisible, adding to the incomprehensible volume of the ocean. She wants to reach out to him, to comfort him, to drive his pain away. 

They sit like that for what seems like ages, each lost in their own minds. Finally she breaks the silence that has fallen. “Sal, I… I’m sorry…” she begins. “I had no idea. That you didn’t know, I mean.” He lifts his head to look at her, his dark eyes weary. 

A sigh of bubbles escapes from his gills. “It’s not your fault, Az-” he corrects himself, “Zay. None of it is.” The tip of his tail flicks in the sand, making nonsensical little patterns. “I’m just… never mind.” He looks away now, but she wishes he wouldn’t. 

She scoots a tiny bit closer, her webbed hand lightly brushing his before resting on top of it. “You can tell me. It won’t leave this conversation, promise.” He looks up at her doubtfully. I’ll tell you something first, how’s that?” She takes his silence as an affirmative. “I never liked Levi. He gets too damn angry and to be honest I never really planned on reporting back to him after this little errand.” Sal just stares at her in disbelief as she smirks sheepishly. “Getting pretty tired of Hell, too. Needed a vacation.” She spreads her arms, gesturing to the beauty of the ocean around them. “And what better place for some time off, eh?”

His disbelief turns to dismay. “But… doesn’t that mean he’ll come after you?”

Zay’s grin widens and she shakes her head. “He won’t be able to find me. Because I have this.” She holds up a small necklace he hadn’t really noticed before. It’s a small drop-shaped vial with some dark things in it. He looks closer and sees that it’s a black pearl, some black sand, and some sort of liquid. Maybe sea water? “It’s a talisman that prevents me from being tracked down. He meant me to use it so you wouldn’t notice my presence, but seeing as how it’s been this long since I reported in and he hasn’t flayed me alive yet, I think it’s safe to say it hides me from him, too.”

Sal finally understands how she’d been able to get so close to him without him realizing. Not just in the market, but just now as well. It’s an incredible thing, really powerful magic, since it really does seem to work. He muses over the implications of this. If that’s the case, then maybe…

“Your turn now. What were you gonna say before?” She looks at him expectantly, those deep dark eyes of his almost drawing her in. He blushes and rubs the back of his neck, hair swaying a bit in the current. 

“I was just going to say thank you,” he begins. “Now I finally know why I’m stuck here. I’ve wondered for so long…” he trails off. He still has no idea how long he’s been exiled, but he knows how it happened, at least. “And also thanks for… just for being here. I’ve been alone a long time. It’s nice to talk to someone.” Sal offers a small smile, the corners of his lips barely turned upward. Azalea’s heart flutters and she blushes a bit as well.

“You’re not so bad to have around, either,” she teases. “Maybe I’ll have to extend my vacation indefinitely.” She watches him from the corner of her eye, and if she thought he couldn’t get any redder she was wrong. She giggles and eases herself closer, one red-tipped tentacle tracing the side of his long tail. It sends a jolt up his spine and makes him shiver despite the warm water surrounding them. 

“I, uh… that sounds… good,” Sal says awkwardly, smiling shyly. Zay leans closer, their noses just inches apart. Sal’s gills flutter anxiously. She’s so close, he could just-

He doesn’t get to finish his thought before her lips are on his, and he nearly loses himself right then and there. Her hands come up to gently cradle his face - she seems to understand how sensitive he is and does her best to not overwhelm him, at least not immediately. He tilts his head slightly and deepens the kiss, his full lips pressed tightly against hers as a small moan escapes him. He can feel her smile against him, her sharp teeth exposed for just a moment before they gently tug at his lower lip. His big hands grip her waist, one of her tentacles coming up to gently wrap around his wrist, keeping him in place. 

When they break apart, his eyes can barely focus on her smiling face. Just that simple contact had felt so overwhelmingly good, so right. His fingers squeeze the flesh at her hips and he pulls her against him, every inch of their skin pressed together feeling absolutely sublime. One of her arms wraps around his back, holding them together, and they kiss again, this time much less innocent than before. Sal wraps her in his powerful arms, and suddenly he’s practically engulfed by her smooth tentacles, twisting around his tail as if for dear life. Her tongue teases at his lips and he opens them further, succumbing to her without a second thought. 

Before long, one of Azalea’s hands wanders down past his waist, fingertips ghosting over his slit that’s already so sensitive and swollen. “This okay, Sal?” she murmurs in his ear, the tip of her long tongue flicking the fin on the side of his head. He nods, words escaping him. Hell, he can’t remember the last time he felt this good. Her fingers apply just the slightest amount of pressure under his opening, and his members slide out, relieving some of the pressure there. “Ooh, double the fun, huh?” she smirks at him. 

He’s about to roll his eyes but she drags her palm teasingly up the flushed lengths, making them twitch, and instead all he can do is moan in response. His strong fingers clutch desperately at her back, making her hiss through her teeth. “S-sorry,” he manages, rubbing the spots where he’d nearly broken the skin. 

“Don’t worry, big guy,” she grins at him wolfishly. “You won’t hurt me. I kinda like it.” He pauses just a fraction of a moment to let her words sink in, until she drags him back to the present by wrapping her slender fingers around one of his cocks, making his body shudder momentarily. She chuckles. “So sensitive,” she muses. “Just relax, I’ll go slow.” With her other arm still encircling his waist, she gives his member a gentle stroke, barely putting any pressure into the action. Sal sighs contentedly, his head dropping to her shoulder as he lets his eyelids flutter closed. He wants to make this last, wants it to keep going forever. 

Zay’s grip tightens slightly as she thumbs the swollen head, and Sal instinctively bites down on her shoulder. He realizes what he’s doing and relinquishes pressure just before he breaks her skin, making her sigh with pleasure. He’s so lost in the sensations of everything that he barely recognizes when she takes his hand and draws it down past her waist. Two of her lower limbs draw apart, revealing her tender entrance. She presses Sal’s fingertips against her folds, slick with her arousal. He lifts his head, his cheeks dark with blush, to watch her face. 

Sal’s sure he’s never seen anything so beautiful. 

Her eyes are shut tight, her lips parted as she moans breathily, her colorful hair swaying slightly in the current. She’s perfect. And suddenly he’s overcome with the urge to please her no matter what, to unravel her, to make her his. It’s as if he’s finally been woken from his trance of loneliness after so long. And he’s eager to make up for lost time. 

He leans in and presses kisses along her jawline, stroking and teasing her clit to pull delicious new sounds from her. She continues to run her fingers along his ridged length, and gasps sharply when he finally dips one thick digit into her entrance. Her gills flutter and the grip on his tail tightens noticeably. Zay mumbles something he can’t quite make out, and he sucks lightly at her pulse point in response. His other cock joins the one in her hand as she strokes them both, fingers barely able to fully encircle them. She grinds her hips against his hand, wanting so much more than just the single finger curling inside her. After a few more moments of blissful fondling, he obliges, slipping a second into her. Holy hell, she’s tight. And hot. And he wants nothing more than to watch her come undone under his touch. He starts pumping in and out, slowly at first, but the way Azalea keens and twists in his arms only makes his actions faster, more desperate to bring her to her climax. 

“So perfect,”Sal rumbles into her shoulder, and her hips buck instinctively. He withdraws his fingers despite the small whine from her. 

“Sal, please…” She brings her free hand to his face so his dark eyes are on hers. He turns to kiss her palm sweetly and reaches down to guide one of his cocks to her entrance. He’s suddenly hesitant, and as if she can sense his trepidation she reminds him: “You’re not gonna hurt me. Please,” she leans in and kisses him reassuringly. 

He slowly begins pressing into her, feeling her stretch around the pronounced head. He nearly sees stars from that alone. He pauses a moment to regain control, then pushes just a bit more before they both feel a slight  _ pop _ and his tip is fully inside her. They both moan quietly at that, before Azalea pulls herself onto him further, his ridges rubbing her inner walls with ever painstaking inch. “Mmm yes,” she breathes, head thrown back and exposing her pale throat. Sal can barely see straight, so great is the pressure he’s feeling. He can barely move for fear of ending it all too soon. Words escape him, and all he can do is moan and pant as he adjust to this sensation that he hasn’t felt in so long. His other cock is twitching between them, neglected for the moment so as not to overwhelm him too much. After a few moments, she finally speaks, almost shyly. “Want me to take over?” 

He just nods mutely, only for a long and drawn out moan to be torn from him a moment later when she slightly pulls herself off of him and sinks down again. If he wasn’t cursed, he’d swear he was in Heaven. The sounds she makes only push him closer to the edge, but he holds back as best as he can. His hands find her waist, moving with her as she rises and falls repeatedly. One of her tentacles snakes its way around his second member, just lightly gripping without really moving, but it feels so incredible. 

“Won’t… mmf… last long, Zay,” he manages, his grip on her tightening. Her pace quickens as she nears her own orgasm, the choppy surf above them mirroring their desperation. 

“Yes, fuck, yes!” she cries as her inner muscles tighten around him, her tentacles clinging to him as her body is wracked with wave after wave of pleasure. Finally Sal can no longer hold back, and he thrusts into her one last time with a deafening roar that shakes the reef, his second length pulsing as a haze forms in the water between him. He just about blacks out from the overpowering bliss, never wanting the moment to end. 

When Sal finally has enough presence of mind to take in his surroundings again, his head is cradled to Azalea’s chest, his arms wrapped around her securely. He didn’t even feel her separate from him, and his members having withdrawn back into his body. Nor did he notice that the two of them had sunk to the warm sandy ocean floor. Their gills ruffle in unison as they catch their breaths. As he looks up at her face, he’s overcome by a sense of happiness that he hasn’t felt in millenia. A sense of belonging that he never even hoped to feel again. She hums contentedly as he holds her tightly to him, a matching rumble, almost a purr, escaping him as well. 

“You alright?” he finally asks her. His tail is completely entwined with her tentacles, one of which flicks one of his fins playfully. 

“Best I’ve been in ages,” she replies, kissing his forehead gently.

“I was thinking the same thing.” They hold each other in comfortable silence for a while, the sea around them calming as they do. “Let’s get out of here,” Sal says quietly, a smirk on his full lips. 

“What?”

This time he pulls away just enough to look her in the eye. “You heard me. Let’s leave. I’ve seen enough of this place to last me a thousand lifetimes.”

Zay looks at him, confused. “But… your exile? I thought you can’t leave?”

Sal takes her hands in his, rubbing circles with his thumb. “I feel… different somehow. Not the way I did when I had boundaries. Like…” he looks into her eyes, “Like I can be happy with you.” His fingers lightly brush her pendant. “And Levi can’t find us if we have this.”

She searches his face for a moment, trying to make sure he’s serious. When it’s clear that he is, she grins. “What are we waiting for?” He clasps her hand in his excitedly, already leading the way through the shallows towards the closest boundary of his watery prison. 

They pass sunken hulls along the way, overgrown with coral and barnacles, now part of the ecosystem. Sal doesn’t even glance their way, his sights set on another goal. Azalea swims beside him, never tiring or faltering even for a minute. By the time they near their destination, the sun is nearly at the horizon, casting a deep orange glow on the underwater world around them. Sal’s pace slows and comes to a stop next to a jagged looking rock that juts up out of the waves. He hesitates for just a moment, his grip on Zay’s hand tightens. She looks up at him, an emotion that’s hard to decipher written on her face. He takes a deep breath, and continues forward, eyes closed.

Nothing happens. 

He opens one eye, checking his surroundings and himself, before opening the other. He lets go of her hand, swimming a few yards further, before spinning in place to face her, an ecstatic smile plastered on his features. “HA! HAHA! AZALEA! LOOK!” He spins in place again and in a figure eight before catching her up in his strong arms. “I’m free! I… I’m actually free! We can go anywhere we want! Just the two of us!” His excitement is contagious, and soon they’re both laughing with uncontainable joy, spinning each other around as the sun dips lower in the sky above. 

Finally he holds her close to him, emotions overwhelming him as more tears threaten to escape into the surrounding salt water. “Thank you.” He cups her face and looks at her with all the adoration he can muster - and it absolutely melts her heart. “You’ve done more for me than I ever thought was possible. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to repay you.”

She blushes and looks away, suddenly nervous from the praise. “Don’t mention it, Sal. I’m just…” she looks back at him, “Just glad you gave me a chance.” She smiles sweetly at him. 

“Me too.” He leans forward, kissing her softly and sincerely. His hand finds hers, and together they swim towards a new adventure. A new life. A new home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did I do? I've never written anything for OCs before and I hope it came out as clearly as I saw it in my head. Thanks so much for reading! Subsequent chapters will be bits and pieces from the lives of Azalea and Sal, so stay tuned!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An epilogue to Chapter 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lovely friend Autumn wrote this epilogue so we could see Leviathan's reaction to Sal and Azalea getting together and absconding in Chapter 1. Leviathan is her character and I'm so glad she's let me build Sal and Azalea so heavily on her characters and ideas! <3 Enjoy!!

The smell of blood hung thick in the water. Hot, metallic, and with the subtle tang that came with all demonic blood. Azalea knew some of it was emanating from her scratches, but the most of it was flooding forth from the thing around her outstretched tentacles. The serrated edge was buried deep in flesh that continued to pump out in great amounts into the sea surrounding them. 

  


She, and Leviathan. 

  


The battle would have been difficult if not for the charm that Leviathan had so foolishly given her. Safe from his vision a certain range away, Azalea had struck with great vigor, watching clouds of red dissipate into the water until the reef was so saturated it could not return to its natural blue. It was choking like this, the thick and hazy water making Azalea cough as it pumped into her gills. But she had continued, until finally the blow was landed. What would have been a mortal wound in anyone besides a Prince of Hell, square through the chest making the patron of envy freeze to a halt. She withdrew the tentacle, watching Levi slump to the sandy floor. Even more red issued forth from his wounds, his mouth, his nose. His ragged, agonized breathing was painful just to hear. And yet, he would not lie still, wriggling and pulling himself towards her, green algae-ridden hair floating around his head. Azalea exhaled through her nose as she withdrew the charm, granting the demon visibility to her. 

  


"Why do you struggle so, my lord?" she asked, the royal address more a habit than anything else. Her response was only more gasps as her gaze followed his movements. She looked down at him, lip curling ever so slightly in disdain."You're a sad little man," Azalea said, making sure the venom was palpable in her tone.  


  


Leviathan coughed. "And you're...a fool..." he rumbled, voice strained, "Going off with that...heathen..." 

  


She made an audible scoff as she turned, moving herself through the water. In truth, she could not really stand to look at him. "You know...that he doesn't...love you..." She stopped, as Leviathan made a low chuckle. 

  


"He's a liar, my child...I once believed as you do now...but..." he made a grunt of pain, pulling himself up a bit, "You see what became of me, and him." Azalea did not speak. "What will you do, Azalea? What will you do when he does unto you what he has done to me? What will you do when you feel a pain in your heart that no physical wound could ever match? To know you're not good enough? What will you do?"

  


Her fingers traipsed over the charm, biding her time to word her answer. Finally, she turned her head back, looking deep into cerulean eyes as dark and expansive as the ocean itself. "I will let him go, my lord," Azalea said, with the firmness and understanding of a lover, "As you also should have done." He was silent again, aside from his ragged breathing. "I hope you may heal, my lord." She swam away, leaving him alone in the reef.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mess with Azalea. Autumn came up with the idea that her tentacles could morph into weapons and I really love that!!!


	3. One Fish, Two Fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new life for Sal and Azalea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! I've been toying with the idea of this chapter for a while, I hope you like it!

Living on the run isn’t so terrible, Sal has decided. He gets to see the world, and that’s what he’s always wanted. Azalea’s charm might hide them from Leviathan, but every now and then they come across one or two of the Prince’s guards patrolling the ocean, clearly searching for Sal and Azalea. They’d run into one before, but he hadn’t posed a threat. Zay had quickly dispatched the low level water demon with a jab through the heart, her tentacles instinctively transforming into spearlike weapons. 

Another time during their travels, Sal had been sleeping peacefully in a cave they’d found, tucked away safely in an underwater cliff face. Zay had caught a whiff of a familiar stench on the tide, leaving Sal so she could investigate. Turned out that it was Levi himself searching for the two of them, but she’d taken care of him as well. She’d returned to Sal to wake him and move forward in their journey while the Prince was incapacitated, reassuring him that her wounds would heal quickly. 

Since then, they haven’t stayed in one place for very long, always on the move. But for Sal, who’d been so sedimentary for so long, that was just fine. 

~~~~~

For a while, Sal remembers what it feels like to live free from the curse. But despite his best efforts, he can’t escape his past. The destructive urges that turn him into a monstrous creature, a last remnant of Leviathan’s curse, still make themselves known from time to time. The first time it happens with Azalea around, he’s more terrified than she is.

The gut-wrenching transformation begins slowly and painfully, as it always does. There’s much more to it than his usual merman-to-human changes. When he feels the first shooting pain down his arms, a muffled grunt slipping from his throat as he doubles over, Azalea immediately knows. 

“Is it time?” she says, a hint of concern in her voice. 

Sal can’t believe he’d been stupid enough to think that he could shed his punishment completely. He holds his arm, looking at Zay with a pained expression and nodding. “I don’t want to hurt you…” he says through sharp gritted teeth. He can’t even look her in the eye, he’s so ashamed of this part of himself. 

“I’ll be okay,” she says. “Maybe I can even help a little?” She smirks at him when his confused gaze meets hers. 

Another wave of pain courses through his body, his face beginning to change shape as lionfish-like spines take the place of his beautiful hair. It feels like millions of needles pressing through his skin, trying to escape from inside his skull. His bones crack and twist as he grows into his cursed form, a roar escaping him when the sensations become unbearable. No matter how many times this has happened over the millenia, it causes him just as much agony each time. His powerful tail writhes back and forth, thrashing into a nearby rock. It doesn’t hurt him any more than the transformation does, but the rock crumbles to gravel. When he’s finally finished, the shallows barely contain him, his head cresting the surf. His vision is tinged red, and all he feels is the overwhelming urge to destroy everything in his path. His head swings one way then the other, enraged gaze finally resting on a form that is somehow familiar despite never having seen it before. 

Everything about Zay is bigger and more intense in the best of ways. She’s not quite as big as him, but he doesn’t doubt she could be even larger if the need arose. Her tentacles are darker, more deadly looking, and the teal color that had covered her lower half has crept over her entire form, making her blend in more with the sea around her. Her turquoise hair is now a crown of fins and spines, her eyes completely black and soulless. 

Even though Sal’s thought process has been overtaken by the single minded need to wreak havoc, he can’t help but think how terrifyingly beautiful she looks. 

She grins up at him, sharp white teeth glistening in the dimming light as storm clouds gather overhead. She swims a little closer to him, a tentacle wrapping around his arm. Her touch is like hot ice, clearing his thoughts just enough to understand her. 

“Let’s go break something,” she coos in his ear, voice full of mischief. And without another word, she darts away, tentacles pulsing rapidly as she zooms towards deeper waters. 

His desire to follow her is matched by his deadly urges and he quickly follows, deadly whirlpools left in his wake. 

Once Sal’s bloodlust has been satisfied and his weary body is restored to him, Zay helps guide him back towards their current resting place in the shallows. He sinks down into the soft sandy bed of the sea floor with her by his side. 

“Thank you,” he mumbles against her shoulder, barely conscious. She strokes his hair and presses a kiss to his head, cradling him against herself. 

Any other being would have been revolted by what he was, what his curse had turned him into. But not Azalea. Instead of a monster, she had seen a poor creature who had been subjected to this torture for far too long. And if she could provide even an iota of relief from that, she would do so. She may be a demon, but she’s anything but heartless.

~~~~~

Time loses its meaning once they’re at sea for a while. Sal had insisted that they should explore every corner of the globe that was touched by the ocean, and who was Azalea to argue? He was finally free after a seeming eternity being trapped in the same corner of the ocean, watching the growth and decay of reefs ebb and flow like the tide. As she watches him experience the rest of the world for the first time in his memory, she couldn’t help the swell of emotion at his childlike wonder. She had helped make this happen. She had brought him happiness and a whole new life where before he’d felt nothing but despair and loneliness. He reminds her of this constantly, always eager to express his gratitude and adoration. 

The first time he says it, they’re sitting on a small beach of a tiny uninhabited island, one they’ve returned to time and time again in their travels. It’s secluded and peaceful, with just the tiniest area of grass amongst the few palm trees that sparsely decorate it. The waves lap gently at their feet as the sun sinks lower in the sky. Neither wear any clothes since they’re alone out here, simply enjoying the peaceful existence to which they’ve so quickly become accustomed. He holds her against his torso, her back to his chest, his chin resting on her shoulder. His lips press gently to the side of her neck and she sighs. 

“I love you,” Sal mumbles into her skin, barely audible except for the rumble that travels through the both of them. It takes her a moment to realize what he said.

“What?” She’s momentarily frozen, and he stiffens in response. 

“I… I love you, Azalea.” This time he speaks a bit louder, despite his apparent nervousness. Zay turns to face him as best as she can while still sitting in his lap. She finds herself lost in the abyss of his eyes, the bright sparkle of the setting sun reflecting off the darkness. He looks at her hopefully, but when she stays silent he softly bites his lip and looks away. “I… sorry. I shouldn’t have said-”

Her delicate hand cradles his cheek and directs his gaze back to her. She’s smiling sweetly, eyes twinkling with mirth. “I love you too.”

It’s as if a previously unknown weight suddenly lifts from both of them as they kiss hungrily, barely able to get close enough to each other. Soon whispers of admiration and devotion are interspersed with sighs and moans of passion, neither paying heed to the falling darkness or the grains of sand clinging to their writhing, damp bodies. Once they’re both sated a comfortable slumber falls over them, until the dawn of a new day.

~~~~~

Sal likes the Mediterranean. It’s temperate and small, and the culture is so different from what he’s used to yet somehow so similar. His and Azalea’s shore excursions always leave his heart full of kindness from the people they encounter, and his belly full of delicious food. Last week they’d been ashore to Crete, and since then they’ve been lounging in the warm shallows near one of the many small islands that peppers the area. Zay’s tentacles are wrapped around Sal’s tail in much the same way her fingers are interlaced with his, the two of them swaying gently with the clear blue current. 

“I want more gyros,” Zay says suddenly, sitting up and looking down at him. He chuckles and runs his hand up and down her back, closing his eyes in relaxation.

“We’ll go ashore again in a few days, don’t worry.”

“But I want some  _ now _ .” She pouts and lays down on his stomach, her chin slightly digging into his sternum. “I’m so hungry, Sal.” 

He looks down at her and she bats her eyelashes. Hell be damned, he can’t resist when she does that, and she knows it. He sighs and she grins, aware that she’s won yet again. 

“Alright, alright. Get changed and we’ll go.” He gives her shapely rear a loving pat before she pecks his chest with a kiss and giggles. 

She floats away from him to have room to transform, spreading her arms slightly as usual. But her smile quickly fades when she looks down at herself in confusion. 

“C’mon, I thought you wanted gyros,” Sal teases her, retrieving a pair of swim shorts from a small stash he’s made in a nearby crevice. His tailfin splits into muscular legs and he slips the shorts on, not wanting to cause a ruckus on land. His gills remain in place for the time being as he treads water, watching Azalea. “Everything okay?”

Her face is now screwed up in concentration, hands clenched into fists and nearly shaking. But she remains in her mermaid form, for some reason. She finally looks up at him, her voice on the verge of trembling. “Sal… I can’t… I can’t change.” Her eyes search his in a panic now. “Why can’t I change?!” Her tentacles curl and unfurl in agitation as he swims nearer, holding her securely in his arms.

“It’s okay, I’m sure everything is fine. Has this ever happened before, sweetheart?” He tries his best to soothe her but so far she only seems to get more hysterical. 

“No!” she replies, distress growing. “I’ve always been able to change without hardly thinking about it! I’m a water demon, a shapeshifter, for Hell’s sake!” Even though they’re underwater, he can tell she’s crying from the way her shoulders shake and her breath hitches. “What’s wrong with me, Sal?” She looks up at him, eyes full of fear and confusion. 

He squeezes her reassuringly, kissing her forehead. “I don’t know, but it’ll be okay, Azalea. We’ll figure it out together, okay?” His big hand trails up and down her back in comforting strokes, trying to calm her down. It eventually works, her breathing returning to normal as she clings to him. 

After a short while, she says softly, “I still want gyros…”

He smiles and kisses the top of her head. “Will you be okay if I leave for just a little bit? I’ll get us as many as you want.” He fumbles in the pocket of his swim shorts for a few gold doubloons they’d pocketed from a shipwreck they’d found. She sniffles and nods. “Okay, I’ll be back soon. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says with a small smile. She watches him swim to shore, his powerful legs propelling him through the water with ease. When he’s finally out of sight, she sinks back to the sand, wringing her hands as she stares up through the waves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmmmMMMMMMMmmmm >u> Whatever could this mean???


	4. UPDATE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an update

HELLO, ALL!!!

I know I've been ridiculously MIA for far too long. A  _lot_  has happened in my life lately. I'll try to summarize...

In May, my maternal grandmother who has Alzheimer's had an episode which resulted in my mother having to move in with her and me helping out a lot around both my mom's and grandma's houses. In that same month, I lost my paternal grandfather, whom I have been incredibly close to for my entire 26 years of life. As a result, my paternal grandmother and my entire family have had to adjust to not only losing him, but have gone from basically full-time care of him to suddenly refocusing our lives. It is a process for us all.

On top of this, I have also had a slight career change. For the last 3 years, I have been a substitute teacher at the high school level. As of 4 days before the start of this school year (talk about the 11th hour!), I am now in an 80% position teaching 4 periods of general science at the same high school where I graduated from and where my stepmom and dad work. I am concurrently working on my teaching credential and taking online classes, so I have to balance my own homework with creating my own lesson plans and grading and all that comes with being a full-time teacher. It's fun, but extremely challenging. 

And to make things more chaotic, there is wildfire blazing in Northern California barely more than an hour from my home, the Camp Fire (a bad name for it, thanks, CalFire). It is thus far the most destructive fire in California history and only partially contained. Dear friends of mine have lost everything, smoke has filled the northstate area, and my heart breaks for the entire town of Paradise which was essentially razed in less than 24 hours. It's hard to wrap my head around, and I have a feeling many changes will be coming to the state to facilitate the thousands and thousands of individuals who have been displaced during this tragedy. 

I tell you all this simply to give you a glimpse into my chaotic life as of late, and a possible explanation for my absence. I still love writing, I still have plans to finish this as well as my other fics. The fact is that I have no idea when I will have time for that, apart from possibly holiday breaks like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter (and summer, of course). Some of you have eagerly asked about when I will update again, and unfortunately this is the best answer I have for you. I ask for your patience while I navigate this tricky but exciting chapter in my life. If you're eager for updates, I advise that you subscribe to my fic, and you'll get email notifications when updates are available.

Thank you for your understanding and continued patience! 

~Soul


End file.
